We are calling it. Time of death: July 27, 2020, 7:42 am. Once again, as our students woke up early this morning to attempt to register for yet another ACT, they encountered error after error message. So far, none have been able to register for the fall tests. The impossibility of registering for the ACT, much less sitting for one, is not lost on any of us. As anxious students continue to study and prep for these elusive tests, the question is what are we doing? The universities really should end the suffering and say that they will be “Test Blind” for the 2020-2021 application year.
According to CNN.com, on July 18, the ACT was scheduled to be held in some states, but when students arrived, a posted sign informed them “The ACT scheduled for today (7/18) has been CANCELED… ACT should have contacted you. We are very sorry if you were not notified.” In other instances, the tests simply did not arrive, having nothing to do with COVID-19. Really? Even worse, as noted in the July 24, Business Insider article, “Standardized testing for college admissions just came back — and it already looks like a coronavirus super-spreader.” Students are facing “potentially unsafe and stressful testing environments or no test score at all.” One student in Wisconsin reported being the only one in the room wearing a mask. He was so unnerved, he could not concentrate. According to the July 26 article on CNN.com, “two students tested positive for COVID-19, and as many as 200 others may have been exposed, after taking the ACT college admissions test at an Oklahoma high school.”
Which brings us to our final point. There is nothing–NOTHING–you can do.This is an unprecedented situation and will be treated as such. Do your best. Relax. And, just roll with it. You will have great stories for your grandchildren.
